• Visa-free policies make Middle East preferred destination for Chinese travelers

    Dubai, UAE - As China's outbound tourism steadily rebounds from the pandemic's impact, the Middle East is emerging as a preferred destination for Chinese travelers, alongside traditional hotspots like Thailand and Malaysia. Data from online travel agencies including Ctrip, Tongcheng, Tuniu, Mafengwo, and Zuzuche indicates a significant rise in Chinese...
  • Morocco claims Israel recognizes its sovereignty over Western Sahara

    Dubai, UAE--Morocco said that Israel has recognized its sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara and is mulling opening a consulate there, according to media reports. A statement from Morocco's Royal Palace said Israel's position was expressed in a letter to King Mohammed VI from Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin...
  • Invictus plans $272m expansion

    The company will invest through acquisitions and JVs.
  • Saudi Arabia summons Swedish ambassador over Quran burning

    The kingdom had already condemned Wednesday's incident in which an Iraqi citizen living in Sweden stomped on the Muslim holy book and set several pages alight. The foreign ministry summoned the ambassador on Sunday to urge Sweden "to stop all actions that directly contradict international efforts seeking to spread the...
  • Moroccan women shake up world of Gnaoua music

    Originally practiced by enslaved people and dating back at least to the 16th century, Gnaoua has gone from being practiced largely in private gatherings, where therapeutic rituals accompanied the music, to public events such as concerts and festivals.
  • Protesters demand ‘justice’ on anniversary of Spain-Morocco border crush

    Activist Quinndy Akeju said many families "had not yet identified or buried their dead" after some 2,000 migrants -- many from conflict-torn Sudan -- stormed the metres-high fence that seals off Melilla from Morocco on June 24, 2022. She claimed there had been no "independent inquiry" into how Moroccan and...
  • Morocco puts off meeting of Arab allies of Israel due to West Bank violence

    With violence escalating between Palestinians and Israelis, Morocco has postponed a meeting of Arab allies of Israel it was due to host this summer. According to the country's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita a date for the meeting can be worked out when circumstances are more "favorable." The annual meeting was...
  • Arabs endorse draft law, strategy to regulate social media, up to $2m penalty for violation

    The law will apply to a wide array of “illegal content” including, but not limited to, false and fake news, disinformation campaigns, and actions that systematically influence democratic electoral processes.
  • New generation of Moroccan filmmakers basks in Cannes glory

    Seeking to support and promote its national cinema, Morocco has spent 60 about $60m annually on productions since 2012. Moroccan cinema gained steam in the 1970s and '80s, with the emergence of powerful filmmakers such as Mustapha Derkaoui and Ahmed Bouanani.
  • UAE, Morocco speakers of parliament discuss ways to enhance cooperation

    MARRAKESH, MOROCCO - Speaker of the UAE Federal National Council (FNC) Saqr Ghobash met with Morocco Speaker of the House of Representatives Rachid Talbi El Alami on the sidelines of the Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue here. Ghobash also met with Naam Miyara, President of the Chamber of Councillors of...
  • Arab nations account for 25 percent of Israel’s 2022 arms exports

    Jerusalem, Undefined - Israeli defense exports hit an all-time high of $12.5 billion last year, with Arab countries that recently established ties accounting for nearly a quarter of purchase contracts, officials said Wednesday. The defense ministry, which oversees and approves the exports of Israel's defense industries, said one quarter of deals...
  • Protesters in Morocco demand government act on cost of living

    CASABLANCA, MOROCCO -  Hundreds demonstrated on Sunday in Morocco's economic capital Casablanca to protest against the surging cost of living in the North African country and urged action by the government, AFP correspondents said.   Protesters from the Democratic Labor Confederation (CDT) rallied in Casablanca's historic center "to shout out our...
  • Morocco to teach Berber language in more schools

    Morocco has the largest population of Berbers in North Africa, and Thursday's decision responds to a long-standing demand by activists to preserve the language, which is currently taught to just 330,000 pupils. The move "will necessitate more specialist and bilingual teachers", the education minister said.
  • Moroccan nomads keep alive ancient sport of sand hockey

    M'hamid El Ghizlane, Morocco -- In a Moroccan oasis town on the edge of the Sahara, nomads in turbans and tunics are thwacking a camel-wool ball across the desert in a traditional pastime: sand hockey. Similar in many ways to field and ice hockey, but played barefoot and with palm wood...
  • Morocco, UK ink pact on climate action, clean energy, green growth

    Rabat, Morocco: Morocco and the United Kingdom signed on Tuesday a Strategic Framework for Cooperation on climate action, clean energy and green growth. Signed by Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita, and the UK Minister of State for the MENA region Lord Ahmad, the agreement aims to facilitate Morocco’s accelerated transition...
  • UAE to deepen economic ties with Morocco in several sectors

    Rabat, Morocco-- Seeking to deepen its investments in Morocco, which stood at US$14 billion at the end of 2021, the UAE intends to widen the partnership with the kingdom over the next few years. In this regard, the two countries have agreed to double the volume of trade and investment...
  • UAE, Morocco discuss ways to strengthen trade relations

    Rabat, Morocco - The UAE is keen to strengthen economic and trade relations with Morocco, in a way that enhances the establishment of new partnerships that serve their interests in vital sectors and consolidate the strength of bilateral relations, UAE's Minister of Economy Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri has said....
  • Xlinks secures $37m funding

    The funds will be used in laying subsea cables between UK and Morocco.
  • Morocco impounds 5.4 tonnes of cannabis, haul of cocaine

    Morocco is the world's largest producer of cannabis resin according to the United Nations, and police seized nearly 100 tonnes last year. Police in recent years have also made multiple large seizures of cocaine, with South American cartels using the North African nation as a smuggling transit hub for Europe.
  • Morocco appoints new second-in-command amid tensions with Algeria

    In the midst of strain with Algeria over the Western Sahara, Morocco's King Mohammed VI has appointed a new second-in-command of the armed forces. The number two is Inspector General Mohammed Berid who replaces General Belkhir El Farouk. The king under the country's constitution himself commands the armed forces.
  • Morocco intercepts 550 migrants trying to reach Europe

    Coastguards of the kingdom's navy operating in the Mediterranean and Atlantic rescued 552 illegal migrants of varying nationalities between April 8 and 18," mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, the military source told official news agency. The source said among them were people attempting the crossing aboard makeshift boats, in canoes,...
  • Soaring prices challenge Morocco’s export-led agriculture model

    Rabat has pledged that prices will soon fall, and announced several initiatives to tackle market speculation, but government spokesman Mustapha Baitas said the measures "have not had the expected results." In an attempt to stem the price rises, Rabat suspended exports of some products in early February, including tomatoes, to...
  • IMF approves $5bn under flexible credit line for Morocco

    Washington, USA - International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved SDR 3.7262 billion ($5 billion) on a two-year arrangement for Morocco under the Flexible Credit Line (FCL). Morocco has benefited from four Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) arrangements since 2012, each totaling about $3 billion. The first PLL was approved on August...
  • Morocco finds it difficult to straddle Israel, Palestinians

    A case in point is the royal palace's reaction after the opposition Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) "deplored" the Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita for allegedly defending Israel publicly, even as it commits "criminal aggression against our Palestinian brothers". King Mohammed VI's office hit back, accusing the PJD of voicing...
  • Morocco stun Brazil 2-1 in first ever win over five-time world champions

    Tangiers, Morocco--Morocco stunned Brazil 2-1 in a friendly international on Saturday as the north African side recorded a first ever win over the five-time world champions. Midfielder Sofiane Boufal, a former Southampton star, but now playing with Al Rayyan in Qatar, gave Morocco the lead after 29 minutes, scoring with a...
  • Search on for Jewish heritage in Morocco’s oases

    Efforts to uncover Jewish historical treasures are one of the outcomes of warming ties since Morocco and Israel normalized relations in 2020.
  • Morocco joins Spain, Portugal to launch bid for 2030 World Cup

    Morocco has joined the bid by Spain and Portugal to host the centenary World Cup in 2030, according to its ruler, King Mohammed VI. The king said in a message delivered as he was named the winner of the African Football Confederation 2022 Award of Excellence in Kigali, where FIFA...
  • ‘Morocco economy robust, 80% of exports manufactured products’

    The country managed to restrict inflation to 6 percent and sustain jobs despite challenges, the North African nation's Industry and Trade Minister, Ryad Mezzour, tells TRENDS.
  • TAQA Morocco to invest US$1.6bn in renewable energy solutions

    Dubai, UAE--TAQA Morocco is looking to invest $1.6 billion in renewable energy solutions in Morocco in order to lift up electricity production by 50 percent by 2030.  Owned by Abu Dhabi National Energy Co., the company plans to diversify its activities in clean energy and water desalination as part of...
  • UAE’s FNC highlights role of parliaments in addressing climate change

    RABAT, MOROCCO - UAE's Federal National Council (FNC) highlighted the critical role of parliaments in addressing the repercussions of climate change, by passing laws that preserves the environment and promote the use of clean energy. The FNC's Parliamentary Division made this statement during the intervention by Aisha Mohammed Al Mulla,...
  • Nigeria gas fuels Morocco, Algeria pipeline power struggle

    Morocco and Algeria have moved to revive long-stalled projects in light of a gas supply crunch following Russia's invasion of Ukraine a year ago. Prices surged and Europe - which was heavily reliant on Russian gas - had to look elsewhere for energy.
  • High vegetable prices, inflation hit Moroccans ahead of Ramadan

    The situation has been made worse by a crisis facing the agricultural sector, which makes up 14 percent of gross domestic product. The worst drought in four decades has been compounded in recent weeks by a snap of unusually cold weather. The government has boosted subsidies on some basic products...
  • Moroccans take to the streets to protest high cost of living

    Defying a government ban against marches, scores of Moroccan trade union activists protested on Sunday in the capital Rabat and other cities to denounce surging costs of food and fuel. Protestors from the Democratic Labour Confederation (CDT) organized rallies outside their offices in Rabat and Casablanca as well as other...
  • Israeli excavation may wipe out Jerusalem’s Mughrabi quarter

    The only indication of the Western Wall plaza's North African heritage is a Moroccan flag, flying discreetly in a nearby private garden.
  • Morocco criticizes ‘unjust’ EU campaign over Pegasus spyware

    Rabat, Morocco--The Moroccan parliament decried Wednesday an "unjust campaign" against it at the European Parliament ahead of a hearing in Brussels over the North African country's alleged use of Pegasus spyware. The European Parliament is set to hear from experts, human rights defenders and journalists on Thursday on claims that Morocco...
  • Morocco hands migrants more jail time over Melilla tragedy

    Rabat, Morocco--A Moroccan appeals court has increased the prison sentences of eight migrants over a deadly attempted crossing into the Spanish enclave of Melilla, their lawyer said Tuesday. Around 2,000 people, many of them Sudanese, stormed the frontier on June 24 in a bid to reach Spanish territory across one...
  • In Morocco, Spain PM reinforces ties after crisis

    The visit comes less than a year after the Spanish leader drew a line under a year-long diplomatic crisis by reversing decades of neutrality on the Western Sahara conflict to back Morocco's position. But the concession to Morocco has drawn harsh criticism from across the Spanish political spectrum. Sanchez's number...
  • Spanish PM in Morocco on visit to cement ties

    Spain's North African enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta - which both border Morocco - have long been magnets for people fleeing violence and poverty across Africa, seeking refuge via the continent's only land frontiers with the European Union. Sanchez said the sides also aimed to "completely normalise the passage of...
  • Qatar, Morocco stress cooperation at free trade agreement talks

    The second round is a continuation of the first round negotiations, which were organized in Rabat, Morocco, in November 2022
  • Morocco votes to review ties with European Parliament

    Morocco's Parliament "decided to reconsider its relations with the European Parliament and submit them for an overall evaluation," said Rachid Talbi Alami, speaker of the House of Representatives. He gave no further details. Under a 1996 agreement, Morocco and the European Union have been linked in tight economic and commercial...
  • Polisario re-elects leader in first vote since Morocco truce ended

    Despite recent health problems, Ghali, who has held the position since 2016, had been widely expected to get re-elected as he retained the support of the Polisario's main foreign backer Algeria. Ghali developed a serious case of Covid in April 2021, for which he received treatment in Spain, triggering a...
  • Netanyahu, US security advisor discuss normalizing ties with Saudi

    Netanyahu, who returned to office last month with the formation of a new government, was at the helm in 2020 when Israel established ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco as part of the Abraham Accords. He has repeatedly expressed his desire to see Saudi join the list.
  • Morocco says to boost military ties with Israel

    It followed the United States' recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region, in a quid pro quo for re-establishing ties with Israel. That sparked concern in neighbouring Algeria, long-time backers of the Polisario movement, which seeks an independence referendum for Western Sahara.
  • FNC looks to deepen parliamentary cooperation with Morocco

    Abu Dhabi, UAE-- The UAE and Morocco have agreed to deepen parliamentary cooperation between the two countries in order to benefit their respective peoples. In this connection, Mohammed Issa Al Kashf, Chairman of the Technical, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Committee at the Federal National Council (FNC), met with Tarik...
  • Violence erupts in Morocco in operation to clear out migrants

    Violence broke out in an illegal camp in Casablanca when police sought to remove migrants, injuring an officer and leaving many police vehicles damaged. Images on social media showed migrants throwing stones. According to local media, police questioned six migrants from sub-Saharan Africa suspected of involvement in the violence towards...
  • Morocco fumes at comments to ‘free’ W.Sahara at Africa football cup

    Cairo, Egypt--The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said Sunday it will investigate comments made at the African Nations Championship in Algeria to "free" the disputed Western Sahara, that have sparked Moroccan fury. Neighboring Morocco and Algeria are locked in a bitter rivalry partly over Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario movement...
  • EU parliament chief to unveil reforms amid graft scandal

    The parliament has been the focus of intense scrutiny since the scandal broke open a month ago with the arrest of one of Metsola's 14 vice-presidents after Belgian police raided homes and offices of several MEPs, former MEPs, parliamentary aides and heads of NGOs that dealt with lawmakers.
  • Morocco denounces ‘provocative’ acts in Algeria football cup

    The rivalry between the North African neighbors deepened further when Morocco denounced "provocative" acts and "transgressions" at the opening of a regional football tournament in Algeria. The two countries are engaged in a bitter dispute over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algerian-backed Polisario movement seeks an independence...
  • Morocco change mind over CHAN after Algeria spat

    Morocco's FRMF football federation said in a statement earlier Thursday that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had informed it last month that Algeria had issued "an authorization in principle" for the flight. But just 24 hours before the start of the tournament, the FRMF said it "notes with regret...
  • Morocco planning agency scales down growth forecast

    According to secretary general of the government's High Commission for Planning (HCP) Ayache Khellaf, assuming recovery of agricultural activities, the national economy should show a 3.3-percent increase in 2023. The HCP in July had projected a 3.7-percent increase in Gross Domestic Product this year after just 1.3 percent in 2022.
  • Morocco raises migrants’ jail time over Melilla tragedy: lawyer

    More than six months after 23 people died in an attempt to cross into the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco, an appeals court in the country has increased the sentence of 13 migrants to three years over the deadly crossing. Nearly 2,000 people stormed the frontier in June in...